Char Grilled Shrimp Skewers meet their perfect match in Chef Kevin Hermann‘s side dishes. Make the Blue Corn Grits and Golden Beet Relish the day before. Skewer and marinate the shrimp before guests arrive. Put everyone to work warming and grilling and plating. You’ll enjoy the camaraderie as well as the delicious results.
The smokiness of the grill adds a dimension to shrimp’s natural sweetness. The beet relish layers notes of honey and vinegar to the affair, akin to what a BBQ sauce would do, but lighter. Charred limes are so simple, but the flavor is gratifyingly complex. While blue corn has deep Lenape roots in Pennsylvania, you’ll have to look out of state for blue corn grits. Stay close to home with golden beets from the 7th generation family operation at Shenot Farms.
Beer Pairing from Burghers for Char Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Cholo Mexicano Amber Lager: Subtle corn notes and hints of lime zest will complement and boost the charred shrimp and lime notes while giving additional lift to the bright herbal finish of cilantro. We love this beer with a squeeze of lime! Charred lime? Oh yeah!
Char Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- Yield: Serves 6 guests 1x
Description
Blue corn grits, golden beet relish, and charred limes accentuate flavorful skewers.
Ingredients
- Grilled shrimp skewers
- Blue corn grits (see below)
- Golden beet relish (see below)
- Baby cilantro
- Charred limes (see below)
For the shrimp skewers:
- 12 bamboo skewers, 3-4 inches long, soaked in water
- 24 shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 1 tsp cumin, ground
- 1 tsp coriander, ground
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, ground
For the blue corn grits:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups blue corn grits (sold in Latin-American grocery stores)
- 6 cups water
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 cup Parmesan, grated
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the golden beet relish:
- 2 golden beets, poached, peeled, and diced small
- 1 English cucumber, diced small, seeds removed
- 1 red pepper, cleaned and diced small
- 1 cup honey
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped fine
- 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped fine
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For the charred limes:
- 6 limes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
For the shrimp skewers:
- Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside, refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat grill to 425 degrees/medium high.
- Skewer 2 shrimp onto each skewer.
- Place on the preheated grill. Cook Shrimp 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Remove from grill and cover until serving.
For the blue corn grits:
- In a medium-sized sauce pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and the shallots and garlic.
- Once aromatic, add the water and allow to come to a simmer.
- Whisk vigorously as you sprinkle in the blue cornmeal to keep lumps from forming. Continue until all cornmeal is mixed with water.
- Turn down to low temperature and continue to stir for 5-8 mins. This will cook quickly.
- If the mixture becomes very thick, add some water.
- Fold in butter and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix until uniform. Set aside. Warm when ready to serve.
For the golden beet relish:
- Combine all ingredients into a medium sauce pot.
- Bring to a quick simmer, stirring constantly.
- Pour mixture into a heat–proof bowl and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours or overnight for even deeper flavor.
- Reserve for plating.
For the charred limes:
- Trim the ends off the limes and cut into two halves.
- Toss with olive oil.
- Place cut side down on the grill and cook for 2-3 mins, until grill marks appear.
- Remove and set aside to cool.
- Once cool, cut into even wedges.
- Reserve for plating.
To plate:
- Spoon several dollops of grits onto your platter.
- Place shrimp skewers on top of the grits. Spread out evenly.
- Place several spoonfuls of relish on top of the shrimp.
- Garnish with charred lime wedges and cilantro springs.
Recipes and Styling by Chef Kevin Hermann, 408 Heirloom
Beer Pairing by Neil Glausier, Burghers
Photography by Dave Bryce
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.
